King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence sign key deal

Washington, Oct.25 (BNA): The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence signed a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the US Department of State. The agreement aims to promote joint cooperation to develop and implement programs that enhance respect, mutual appreciation and peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Jews as peoples and states, and between all religions in the Middle East, in line with the principles stated in Bahrain’s Declaration. Under the agreement, the centre and the office will develop and implement programmes that support tolerance and harmony between Arabs and Jews living side by side in the Middle East region. They will work to enhance cooperation to develop educational programmes aimed at educating children and young people in the Middle East about the values of respect, mutual appreciation and peaceful coexistence, such as the King Hamad Programme for Faith in Leadership, the King Hamad Academy for Cyber Peace and other related programmes and initiatives. The memorandum of understanding also aims at consolidating cooperation between the centre and the office to combat all forms of anti-semitism, in addition to the renunciation of the bigotry and hatred. The memorandum of understanding was signed in Washington D.C, the USA, by The King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence Board of Trustees’ Chairman Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa and Elan S. Carr, Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the US Department of State. Chairman Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa hailed the memorandum of understanding which follows the signing of the historic peace agreement between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Israel. Elan S. Carr, Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism at the US Department of State, said that the agreement represents the culmination of the peace agreement, recently signed between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Israel, hailing His Majesty the King’s wise vision and leadership which paved the way for this historic breakthrough in the region. “The King of Bahrain has an insightful and enlightened vision for many years that has made him a leader of tolerance and coexistence in the Kingdom and the Middle East as a whole so that the region is a better place in its respect for different races, religions and beliefs”, he said. He hailed the pivotal role the centre, chaired by Dr. Shaikh Khalid bin Khalifa, in combating hatred, intolerance and extremism, replacing them with noble human values and embracing the language of dialogue instead of violence. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Gulf Affairs in the Near East Bureau at the U.S. Department of State Tim Lenderking stressed Bahrain’s pioneering standing in the region, hosting a Jewish community which has been living on its territories since 1880 and enjoying all their civic rights, justice, equality and openness. He described Bahrain as a model to emulate in the Middle East and North Africa in consolidating religious freedom and peaceful coexistence.